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Leland Monroe
| image = File:LelandMonroeHappy.jpg | imagewidth = 275px | gender = Male | location = Los Angeles | status = Alive/Possibly Incarcerated | affiliation = Elysian Fields Suburban Redevelopment Fund | birth = 1887/1895 | weapon = Unarmed | actor = John Noble }} Leland Monroe is a character in L.A. Noire, as well as a major antagonist during the Arson desk cases. Biography Background Monroe was a highly successful real estate tycoon and the founder and CEO of Elysian Fields Development. Monroe developed a strong reputation and establishment in Los Angeles for building new, and more modern houses. Monroe spearheaded the Suburban Redevelopment Fund, an organization of private investors to fund and develop new houses for returning GIs in Los Angeles. Monroe had a strong role and investment in the SRF, however he developed an ulterior plan to extort millions of dollars from the government. Monroe's plan was to build fraudulent houses along the path of the new freeway. These houses were made from cheap, inferior, and unsafe materials to cut costs and time. Eventually, the government would purchase the freeway and the surrounding land for eminent domain and would repay Monroe and the other investors. They would receive more money due to the houses situated along the freeway, improving the value of the land and as compensation for their investment. Monroe was able to bribe and convince several other important and high ranking figures of the city to invest in the SRF and take part in the conspiracy, such as Mayor Fletcher Bowron, Police Commissioner William Worrell, District Attorney Donald Sandler, Los Angeles Times Editor Raymond Gordon, Vice President of California Fire and Life Curtis Benson and high profile psychiatrist Dr. Harlan Fontaine. With support from the Mayor and Police Chief, who used their authority to cover and support Monroe's illegal activities, Monroe effectively turned the seemingly legitimate SRF into a criminal syndicate. Events of L.A. Noire Monroe bought out several estates, though he faced the predicament of several holdouts such as the Sawyer, Steffens and Morelli families. However, Dr. Fontaine provided a solution to ensure they would sell. Monroe rigged a promotional travel contest to ensure these families won a prize of a weekend getaway to Catalina Island, allowing Fontaine an opportunity to burn down their homes, using the mentally insane former flamethrower Marine, Ira Hogeboom. Although the houses successfully burned down allowing Monroe to acquire the estates, the Sawyer and Morelli families died in the fires, much to Monroe's shock and displeasure. Furthermore, Ira burned down the recently finished Rancho Escondido. As a result, Monroe ordered Vice Detective Roy Earle to file a criminal intelligence report on Fontaine's drug dealings, thus giving Monroe insurance in case his interests were at risk. Arson Detectives Cole Phelps and Herschel Biggs arrived at Monroe's office for questioning while investigating the Morelli house fire. Due to the fact that fires were occurring in areas with holdouts and the presence of promotional pamphlets, Phelps and Biggs correctly suspected that Monroe was somehow involved and was benefiting from the fires. Monroe denied and deflected these accusations and gave the detectives a list of his employed waybill distributors; this distracted the detectives by setting up known pyromaniac Herbert Chapman as a scapegoat. After Chapman's death, Worrell froze out Phelps's efforts to investigate Elysian Fields, however Monroe later learned that Jack Kelso's own private investigation into the Lou Buchwalter case was close to discovering the truth of the SRF conspiracy. He then sent thugs to ambush and dispose of Kelso which backfired. Monroe later met with Fontaine for lunch, however he was visibily furious at Fontaine since his "pet lunatic" was getting out of control. Fontaine then revealed that he had to "dispose" of Courtney Sheldon. Monroe also informed Fontaine about Kelso and told Fontaine to dispose of Ira who had now become a liability. Monroe then personally phoned Kelso to offer a settlement. Suspecting a trap, Kelso and a group of fellow former Marines fought their way through Monroe's protection and raided his mansion. As Kelso entered the office, he shot Monroe in the leg and searched the office for evidence such as his payroll containing corrupt figures, the large share certificates of the SRF, Fontaine's criminal report and the list of holdouts. Kelso discovered enough incriminating him and the entire SRF. However, after calling Phelps, he learned of Elsa's kidnapping and Fontaine's murder. Monroe revealed that the kidnapper was also the arsonist responsible for all the fires and that he worked as a bug sprayer. Monroe pleaded for medical help, however Kelso refused to help and bitterly left him to bleed to death. Monroe managed to survive, however, but Kelso and Phelps' investigation had undone and exposed SRF. Most of the co-conspirators were able to conceal their corruption and bargain their way out of the scandal. Although it is never specifically stated, dialogue greatly suggests that Monroe was sent to prison. Personality Monroe is an extremely influential, cunning and arrogant businessman. His time in public view has made him a practiced negotiator and liar, furthermore his extreme wealth and ingenuity has allowed him to easily persuade high ranking officials to turn to corruption. As head of the Suburban Redevelopment Fund and Eylsian Fields Development, Monroe has an almost endless amount of resources and men under his employment and is hence able to perform extensive planning and execution of his corrupt deeds. With support from the Bowron and Worrell, Monroe also in a sense controls the police force. His vast wealth, ultimate plan and resources rightfully make Monroe a very arrogant man. He easily believes he can buy his way through to his goals and isn't afraid to turn to illegal means if necessary. Case Appearances Patrol *"Upon Reflection" (Intro) Arson *"A Walk in Elysian Fields" *"House of Sticks" *"A Polite Invitation" *"A Different Kind of War" (Newspaper) Trivia *Because of his status as a multi-millionaire real estate magnate, he lives in Hollywood in a luxurious house (which is attacked in the "A Polite Invitation" case by Jack Kelso and his WWII veteran friends) According to the L.A. Noire official website, a real estate mogul purchased a $1,000,000 dollar mansion in Santa Monica. Today, the mansion would be worth approximately $25,000,000 *Outwitting him in conversation by proving he is lying, earns the player the Huckster Achievement/Trophy. *Strangely enough, in different versions of the game, his age differs. In one version, his age is 60, while in another he is only 52. Gallery Screenshot 200.jpg|Leland Monroe looks over his empire-to-be. Leland.jpg Images (1).jpg|Monroe as seen in the newspaper from the Arson case, "A Different Kind of War". 135.jpg|Monroe's mansion|link=Leland Monroe's Mansion monroe'spayroll.png|Monroe's payroll monroeage.png|Monroe in Phelps' notebook. leland_monroe.png|A sketch of Monroe. de:Leland Monroe Category:Characters Category:Antagonists Category:SRF Member